A hospital chaplain visited a delightful old lady in the hospital. As he approached her bed, he noticed that with the index finger of one hand she was touching, one by one, the fingers of the other, with her eyes closed. When the chaplain spoke to her she opened her eyes and said, "Oh, chaplain, I was just saying my prayers - the prayers my grandmother taught me many years ago."
The chaplain looked puzzled, so she went on to explain, "I hold my hand like this, my thumb towards me. That reminds me to pray for those nearest to me. Then, there is my pointing finger, so I pray for those who point the way to others - teachers, leaders, parents. The next finger is the biggest so I pray for those in high places. After that comes the weakest finger - look it won't stand up by itself - so I pray for the sick and the lonely and the afraid. And this little one - well, last of all I pray for myself." What a great lesson! It is so easy to make our prayers about us - "Help me... deliver me... give me... show me... I need... I want..." when our prayers should be for and about others. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18 "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3 Constant prayer was offered to God for [Peter] by the church. Acts 12:5
Many of us make daily decisions based on the odds. If there’s a 20 percent chance of rain, we may ignore it. If there’s a 90 percent chance, we’ll take an umbrella. The greater the odds, the more our behaviour is affected because we want to choose wisely and be successful. Acts 12:1-6 describes a situation in which Peter’s odds of survival were very low. He was in prison, “bound with two chains between two soldiers” while others guarded the door (v.6). Herod had already executed James, one of Jesus’ closest followers, and he had the same fate in mind for Peter (vv.1-3). A gambler would not have put any money on Peter getting out of this alive. Yet God’s plan for Peter included a miraculous deliverance that even those who were interceding for him found hard to believe (vv.13-16). They were astonished when he showed up at their prayer meeting. God can operate outside the odds because He is all-powerful. Nothing is too hard for Him. The One who loves us and gave Himself for us is in charge of our lives. In ordinary circumstances and impossible situations, God can reveal His power. Whether we are showered with success or sustained in sorrow, He is with us. God is always in control behind the scenes. God keeps His promises. Shouldn’t God’s promise-keeping inspire yours?
People can exhaust you. And there are times when all we can do is not enough. When a spouse chooses to leave, we can’t force him or her to stay. You’re tired. You’re angry. You’re disappointed. This isn’t the marriage you expected or the life you wanted. But looming in your past is a promise you made. Whatever that is, may I urge you to do all you can to keep it? To give it one more try? Why should you? So you can understand the depth of God’s love. When you love the unloving, you get a glimpse of what God does everyday for you and me. When you keep the porch light on for the prodigal child, you do what God does every single moment. Pay attention, take notes on your struggles. God invites you to understand His love by loving others the way he does. from Facing Your Giants DECLARATION: I HAVE THE ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND FAVOUR THAT I NEED FOR TODAY. I AM STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. WHATEVER OBSTACLE AND CHALLENGE I FACE TODAY, IS NOTHING IN COMPARISON TO THE GLORY THAT IS TO BE REVEALED IN ME AND THRU ME.....FOR I WALK IN GOD'S FAVOUR AND ABUNDANCE AND BLESSING THAT IS CHASING ME DOWN AND IS OVERTAKING ME...... Have a WONDERFUL DAY FULL OF POWER, STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION IN JESUS.....
Frank was a soldier, and all the time he was in Burma as a POW, he dreamed of getting out and having a life. He suffered terribly, and was left scarred physically and emotionally. When he came home, his fiancee's parents worried his scars meant he was too damaged to make a good husband. They forbade him to marry "Bette".
Frank and Bette obeyed, as was done then. Neither married. Frank worked hard, cared for his parents, an aunt, then a disabled nephew. Bette was the same, the maiden aunt always helping others.She too helped people avoid public-funded care, helping people spend their last days in homely comfort. She and Frank spoke often, but visited infrequently due to distance. As Bette's health failed, she was moved to a beautiful, privately-funded nursing home. She loved her beautiful sunny room, the gardens and duckpond. She was waited on compassionately, as she'd cared for many others. Frank, however, was in a dingy, dark rented flat, with no central heat or bathtub. Yet Frank never seemed to mind. We nurses brought Frank "extras", worried he'd forego warm socks or dinner. We loved his gentle ways, humour, and the little gifts he made for us. He was patient as we bandaged his legs wounds and the painful ulcers still weeping from his torture scars. One day Frank asked a nurse to take him to see Bette. She drove Frank on her own time. She watched Frank hold Bette's hand, obviously comforting her. Oblivious to Bette's dementia, Frank spoke heartfelt words. Before he left, he kissed Bette, and she said, "Frank?" The nurse ran out, sobbing. After that, if necessary, we paid ourselves for a taxi to get Frank to Bette. Once I asked him how she afforded such a nice nursing home. Putting finger to lips, he showed me sheaths of legal documents, insurance, investments, pensions. He said "I pay. Please: If something happens to me, make sure Bette never wants." I was dumbstruck. Frank lived in poverty to ensure Bette's exceptional care. Over time we convinced Frank to eat better and get a mobility scooter so he could visit Bette himself. Asked if he was happier he said, "I was afraid if I took anything, there wouldn't be enough for Bette. I couldn't bear to see her go without..." Then the call from the nursing home, "Please get Frank". Beautiful Bette had passed away in her sleep. Frank said his goodbyes. Returning to his home, I found Frank happy. "She's free", he said. "No more pain. Someday, I'll join her... free, too." Bette's 18 years of care cost Frank over a million dollars. He then trust-funded the nursing home for free care in Bette's name. Endowing two beds for the forseeable future. The day I left to move to another place, Frank took my hand to share a secret. "We married in 1951, but didn't want to hurt her folks. Did I fail her?" I told Frank he was my hero. He'd lived in poverty with enough to live like a king... for Bette's sake. Ezekiel 26:26
'I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.' - God is interested in the condition of our hearts. - When our hearts are hard it leads to destruction. - But He wants to give you a new heart and a new spirit. - Let Him touch and change you - it's worth it Andre. PRAYER: Lord, I place my life and my heart into Your hands. Remove any hardness that is within me and place within me the new heart and new spirit You have for me. Amen Leviticus 2:1 ‘When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. The grain offering in the Old Testament speaks of Jesus’ sacrifice, and oil in the Bible speaks of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. So the grain offering of fine flour, which had oil poured on it, speaks of Jesus’ humanity being anointed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is fully God. But when He came to earth, He literally emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. (Philippians 2:7) That is why He needed to be anointed of the Holy Spirit before He could begin His ministry. (John 1:33) Though fully God, He did things by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was anointed to bring the blessings of God into the lives of people. He first spoke of His anointing when He was preaching in His hometown—“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor…” (Luke 4:18) Today, Jesus’ anointing has come upon you. (1 John 2:20) The Bible says that “the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you”. (1 John2:27) But how is this anointing in you released? My friend, it is when you call upon Jesus’ name. In Song of Solomon 1:3, the virgins, representing the church, love His name, which is like ointment poured forth when spoken. When they called upon His Name, His fragrance was released and the anointing was poured forth. So when you call upon the name of Jesus, you are releasing His anointing. Call upon His name when you are feeling down and His anointing will lift your spirit up. If you are feeling dry and empty, just say, “Jesus, Jesus.” Before you know it, a river of refreshing will gush forth as His anointing flows. Call upon His name when you need a breakthrough and His anointing will release it to you. Romans 10:13 says that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”. So call on Jesus’ name and watch His anointing release your deliverance, healing, protection and provision, and make you whole! |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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